


Deathly Love

by Fallenangelsneverfade



Category: Hannibal (TV), I Am Number Four (2011), The Lorien Legacies - Pittacus Lore
Genre: Cannibalism, Crossover, F/M, M/M, Set Mid-Season 2, hannigram slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:21:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27790681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallenangelsneverfade/pseuds/Fallenangelsneverfade
Summary: Ever imagined being born from a test tube? I didn’t. Never thought it as possible. Some random scientists made that into reality and that’s how i was born. Ever heard of the god jokes where he sprinkles this and that in and that’s how you were created? That’s me. Two male sperm samples: one from a certain teacher with an empathy disorder and the other from someone who is a charming, cannibalistic psychiatrist. That plus random Loric DNA that came from some random place and there you have me.
Relationships: Number Nine/original female character, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, hannigram
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I wanted to do some Hannigram, but i needed to be a little extra about it.
> 
> Now, you absolutely do not need to read the Lorien Legacies series or watch I Am Number Four to read this. And if anyone has any questions on something that i didn't explain or what have you, please feel free to ask! I'm more than happy to answer any and all questions.
> 
> Also, for the sake of this fic, let's imagine that Hannibal killed Abigail at the end of season 1.
> 
> This isn't beta'ed, so i will apologize in advance for any mistakes!

Walking through the front door, i could hear the voices long before i seen who they belonged to, even the one i hadn't heard in over a year. Due to my sonic abilities, i could hear exactly where he was before i seen him. Setting my bag down and hanging my coat next to my fathers', i snuck to the corner of the hallway, until i was next to the doorway of the living room. Once i heard Agent Crawford begin to speak again, i activated my invisibility before taking off at a sprint into the room, jumping up and tackling Nine before anyone realized there was someone present. 

Because of everything we had been through, it didn't take long for Nine to throw me off of him, causing me to hit the wall opposite. Will, Hannibal, and Jack all moved to the side of the room, wide-eyed and looking everywhere. Since i was still invisible, they couldn't see the attacker. Will and Jack drew their sidearms, looking at each other before pointing them in random directions. 

Nine laughed as he picked himself up off the floor. I hadn't realized until right then how much i missed that laugh.

I walked out of the room and opened and shut the front door while becoming visible. Jack ran around the corner immediately with his gun, but lowered it when he seen me. I could see him sigh before turning around and shaking his head at the men in the room. I walked past him and into the well furnished living room. Nine said nothing, just watching to see what i would do. 

I turned around to look at Jack briefly, before looking towards Hannibal and Will. "You guys look spooked. Everything okay?" I could tell Nine was trying to contain his smirk.

Hannibal answered. "The young man here was just attacked by something invisible before right before you came in, darling."

Nine raised his eyebrows at that and with the look on his face, i couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling up and out of my mouth. 

Will looked at me quizzically and i could see the question in his mind before he could asked. Even if i wasn't telepathic, my inherited empathy disorder allows me to basically do it anyway. I winked at the man before turning towards Nine and breaking out in a run, this time visible. Upon reaching him, i jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist, using my momentum and his surprise to push him to the floor. The grin he gave me could only be described as wolfish. 

Nine reached up to grab my neck, using his strength to toss me to the side. I hit the floor and roll, easily moving to my feet. I threw a punch towards his neck and he catched it flawlessly, using that momentum to throw me to the floor and using his weight to hold me down. 

Of course, all of this happens in a blink of a few seconds and the other three men in the room were too shocked to move.

Before i could counter-act his move, i heard foodsteps and a voice. "Really? The first time you two see each other in over a year and your first choice is to attack each other? Couldn't you have just said 'hello' like normal people?" 

Nine laughed as he stood, reaching down with his hand to help me up off the floor. I walked over to Six and wrapped her in a hug, "Hello!" I stood back from her and grinned. "Like that?" I had never heard Nine laugh as hard as he did at that. 

Before turning around to face my parents and the agent, i looked around the room to see what kind of damage Nine and I had made. Fortunately for me, there was none. I knew for a fact that, if there was barely a scuff mark, Hannibal would kill me. 

When i looked towards the men and seen their faces, all i could do was sigh. I could see their questions there and they had a lot. I didn't want to have to deal with it, even though i knew i would need to.

"Sophia?" Will's voice was hesitant and unsure. "How do you know them?" We made eye contact for a brief second before he moved his eyes over just slightly to look over my shoulder at the wall.

Not knowing what else to do, i sighed once again. "It's a long story. A very long story. I promise i'll tell you everything though. Just be patient with me." 

As if on cue, Agent Crawford opened his mouth. "Was that you who attacked this young man originally?" That made me want to stitch his mouth shut. The questioning looks given to me by Will and Hannibal didn't help. 

Once again, I sighed. "Yes, that was me. And before any of you get started with more questions, i will repeat what i said earlier. I will tell you everything. Just not now."

Hannibal, of course, had his usual face on. One that looked as though nothing could bother him. The small quirks of his lips could tell me that he was highly curious. 

Will, on the other hand, as much as he tried otherwise, was still an open book. I could see every emotion that went across his face. Fortunately for my mental state, none of them were rude towards me. Mostly worry about my abilities getting me attention by unwanted people, protectiveness from Jack because he knew that Jack would use me if he found a purpose, and like Hannibal, curiousity. The open book that is one of my fathers just made me feel that much more accepted. 

Until that moment, i had no idea how worried i was that they would hate the idea that they had a close to non-human freak as a child. Just by looking at their faces, i knew that we would be okay and that's what mattered.

"Not to interrupt anything, but can Sophia hang out in here with us while we go over the case?" Six smiled at me as she said that.

Hannibal immediately responded with his disapproval, but in Jack Crawford fashion, the agent was all for having another person with Loric abilities in the room. 

Will sat on one of the couches. I sat on the same couch, and Hannibal stood right behind me, almost as if to take me away if the pictures and information got to me. To be quite honest, i almost wished he had after the fact.

Nine and Six sat on the couch opposite of us, and Jack stood, while spreading everything in the case folder on the table in between us.

The moment i saw the crime scene photos, i gulped, and my eyes immediately met Nine's and Six's shocked gazes. Naturally, the other men could tell something was up. Agent Crawford swooped in with his inpatientness.

"All three of you got something, didn't you?" 

Nine stood up and came over to me, sitting on the arm of the couch right next to me while looking towards the floor. We're going to leave this up to you. Whatever you choose to do, Six and i will back you. His thoughts rang loud and clear within my head. I just looked up at him and nodded. Before walking back to sit next to Six, he placed his hand on my shoulder, leaving it there for a few moments.

For the umpteenth time that day, I sighed. "I know more about this than they will." Will and Jack both looked at me and i could feel Hannibal staring at me.

Sighing again, i continued. "The only details they can comfortably tell you is that the circular symbols on the each victim's chest is the Loric's number symbols. Other than that, they will know nothing. It wasn't Garde or a Loric who did this. This was a regular human." 

I stood up and started pacing around the room, trying to get my arms and legs to quit shaking, trying to fight the vomit from coming up my throat.

Hannibal's smooth calming voice broke through some of my panic thoughts. "Why are you so sure? Only the Loric and someone who is very close to them would know of those symbols and their meanings."

Jack cut in. "Exactly. I understand that this might not be what you three want to hear, but this very well could be a Loric serial killer. I know you want to believe in the best of the people you know, but that isn't always the case. How exactly are you so sure that it wasn't a Loric or a Garde?"

With that, i finally lost my impatience with the man. I stopped mid step and turned my entire body to face the agent. "How am i so sure?" I have no idea how my voice could sound so calm when all i felt like doing was screaming. "I'm sure because i know exactly who is doing this and why. I know his methods. I know his reasonings. Hell, i even know his thought patterns when it comes to this stuff."

I continued pacing. "This isn't his first time killing. That first body you found? That was his 13th kill. That i know for a fact. Other than the three he has already murdered, he will kill nine more at least. Ten at most."

I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I spun around, immediately on the defensive, but it was just Six. "Soph, you might want to sit down while you talk about this. It might be easier."

I gave her a slight smile before continuing my pacing. "Sitting down would make me feel restless. If i am to talk about this in any way shape or form, i need to be standing. Sitting down will make me feel like i'm back there and it's bad enough to be thinking about it."

"Back where?" I could hear Will's voice, but i had become too lost. I could see him, with his favorite carving knife, standing over one of the men. I could hear their screams as he cut through pieces of their bodies, and the sizzling the meat made while it was being cooked. I could feel the handcuffs, imbued with Dreynen, cutting into my wrists, my own Dreynen trying to counteract it in a way that made it that much more painful. 

"Sophia?"

I could see, just by looking in his eyes, how amazing he felt to be sharing this moment with me, sharing this meal. I could see his excitement everytime he put a piece of meat in between my lips and watched me chew and swallow. I could smell the vomit that the other men had spewed, not being able to hold it in anymore. I could also smell the rotting corpse of the first one to go: Lucas. The smell brought back memories of the thoughts i had been having. How much of poor Lucas have i eaten because of this man? What about the others? How much have i eaten of them?

Suddenly, i felt something cold and was quite confused. I don't remember him ever putting a cold cloth over my forehead. I could hear my name being called and then it was just blackness. After a brief moment of panic, i realized my eyes were just shut. When had i closed them? I opened them back up, expecting to still be in that room, watching him saw off the remaining useful pieces of Lucas, but i wasn't.

I was on the floor of a living room with people standing all around me. Hannibal Lecter was the one holding the cloth to my head. Will looked absolutely horrified, and i could tell, without the telepathy, that he had seen everything that had went through my mind. 

Once Hannibal could tell i was with them again, he removed the rag. "Hannibal? How did i get on the floor?" He helped me sit up before responding.

"You just randomly stopped talking. I've seen Will retreat into himself to realize you were doing just that. I tried to get your attention, to bring you back to us, but you just fell. Nine managed to catch you right before your head would have hit the floor."

"Oh." I sent a shakey smile towards Nine. He was sitting on the floor right behind me, his hands out like he was worried i would fall back again. He always manages to do his best to keep me from hurting myself. One could not have a better best friend than him. 

Will held his hand out in a silent question, and i answered by grabbing onto it. With the help of Hannibal, both men helped to to my feet and made sure i could stand steadily. Hannibal immediately let go of me, but Will didn't. He wrapped me in his arms, using his hand to help bury my face into his neck and stroking my hair. 

I gasped in shock and stood completely still, before relaxing into the embrace. This had been the first time that either of the men had shown me this kind of affection and i didn't realize how badly i needed it until i was gripping the back of Will's shirt tightly and trying to steady my breathing. It had only been a few days since we had met and all of us had still been relatively walking on eggshells aroung each other.

I felt Will press a gentle kiss on the top of my head before releasing me and guiding me back to sit on the couch. He sat right next to me, keeping his hand flat against my back, almost as an anchor to ground me. 

Nine sat back down on the arm of the couch next to me and Six stood right next to him. Hannibal resumed his position from behind me. I felt like i was surrounded by people who genuinely cared about me. That feeling is always nice.

I looked over at Jack, who had never once left his position and released a shaky breath. "I would like to help catch this man. However, i can't continue talking about this right now. It's too much."

Annoyance flashed across Jack's face before he regained his composure. "Let's just go over a few things. You seem like you have first-hand, victim-like, knowledge of this guy. I just have a few more ques-"

"Jack." Hannibal's accent was more thick than usual. "No. Talking about it had already caused her to dissociate once. Will and i will talk to her more once she's ready and we will let you know of our findings. If you decide you still need to interview her, we will go over that then."

Jack looked like he wanted to argue, but as he looked at the group of people surrounding me, his face turned into one of resignation. "If there is anything important, Will, call me at once. The sooner she talks, the better. I'll leave this file here. I have a copy at the office." With that he walked out of the room, the front door opening and closing a moment later.

I jumped at the sound of the door shutting and could feel Will's arm wrap tighter around me. I took a few deep breaths. I laid my head on Will's shoulder, feeling myself grow more tired and exhausted as the seconds ticked by.

Nine stood up, but i could he really didn't want to. He looked over at Six before speaking. "Do you feel comfortable without us tonight?"

I gave him a slight smile. "I'll be okay. I'm safe here."

"Okay. We'll be staying over at the hotel a few blocks over. If you need us, call the hotel, or, hell, if your telepathy extends that far, try to contacts us that way." At the mention of my ability, i hear Hannibal gasp very softly. I could feel Will tense just slightly. In this moment, i could tell they were hiding something from me, but i really couldn't bring myself to care.

Before leaving, Nine kissed my forehead and Six gave me a hug, whispering about how, if i needed anyone else there, they would get them here. I just nodded.

Once they were gone, i took an additional deep breath before moving away from Will on the couch, so that i could see both him and Hannibal. "From your reactions at the mention of telepathy, i can tell your hiding something and that you don't want me to find out. To be quite honest, i'm really not in the mood to pry it out of you or listen in." I paused for a moment to look at both men. "Is it okay if i go lie down? Today has been more exciting than i anticipated."

Hannibal came around to the front of the couch and helped me stand. "I will be cooking dinner shortly. If you grow hungry, you will find a container in the fridge with leftovers." He released my hand. 

"Sleep well. If you need us, we'll be here." Will gave me a gentle smile.

Smiling back, i walked out of the room and up the stairs, finding the room that has become my temporary place of safety. I stripped down to my underwear and put on a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. I climbed onto the bed and under the blanket, and within seconds, i was asleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Once he heard Sophia's door shut, Will removed his glasses and rubbed a hand over both eyes. Giving himself a minute before returning the glasses to their rightful perch. Will stood up and stared at Hannibal. Hannibal had already been staring at him. Without a word, the doctor walked around the back of the couch and out of the room, presumably going into the kitchen to prepare the food.

Will didn't have to ask if it was okay if he stayed. He already knew the answer. He took his phone from his pocket, sending a quick text to a neighbor with the request to look after the dogs, before slipping it back into his pocket and joining the other man. 

Hannibal was standing still, not doing anything other than looking in his direction, with a knife and some vegetables resting on a cutting board in front of him. 

"Hannibal?"

Will thought he could hear a sigh, but when it came to the doctor, you never could know for sure. "If we're able to find the man responsible for her pain, i would like to invite him over for dinner." With that, he picked up the knife and started preparing dinner. 

Will wasn't about to refute that. For once, even though he was still technically undercover for Jack, he couldn't agree more. Finding out that Sophia was Loric was a huge surprise, but it wouldn't change the fact that she was his daughter... their daughter, he had to remind himself. 

At his place on a stool in front of the counter, he couldn't help but watch Hannibal work. For whatever reason, it helped him think. Will found it weird that Hannibal was showing his concern for the girl now. Just a few days ago, when she showed up, he had greeted her warmly and politely, but that was it. From the bits and pieces that he's been able to see through the facade, it had almost been as though Hannibal keeping himself from caring about her too much.

Now, it was like a flip had switched. When she had walked into the living room, Hannibal's face had gone very so slightly more soft. When Sophia had fallen to the ground, a brief look of worry flashed across his features before he had been able to school them. Hannibal had been the one to catch her, had sit down on the floor with her leaning back against his chest, barking out orders for a cold rag. The tenderness in his eyes when he was telling her what had happened and when he helped her up.

Will also did not help but notice the flash of anger light up his maroon eyes at Jack's insistance that we try to pry everything out of Sophia quickly. Will would be lying if he said that he hadn't been angry too, but that was to be expected of him.

As soon as he had heard that he had a child, he had allowed himself to immediately grow attached. After all, it had only been a few weeks since everything happened with the Vergers. Will felt like he was given a second opportunity to have a child and he was not going to waste it.

What he found confusing was why Hannibal was warming up now. The man was not the type to warm up through interaction, not when he blocked himself up the way he does. Not for the first time, Will found himself wishing he could read the other man's mind. 

As Hannibal was doing the finishing touches for the meal, Will prepared the dinning room table. During the meal, both men were quite, both thinking about the events from today and what they would mean for the future.

After helping to clear the table, Will left Hannibal in the study to retire within one of the other guest rooms. He had an early morning. Tomorrow, Jack and himself was supposed to start planning for the dinner where they would confront Hannibal about everything.

With the addition of Sophia, everything had changed. How will she feel if she finds out everything about him and about Hannibal? If Will does decide to stick with Jack and the plan, what would he do if she sides with Hannibal? What if Hannibal tried to hurt her to get back at him?

Under the comforter on the guest bed, Will shakes his head after that last thought. She was from both of them. He didn't think that Hannibal could kill his own flesh and blood. 

Going back and forth with his options, it took Will a while to fall asleep. Once he did, however, the nightmares of losing Sophia quickly followed.

*~*~*~*~*~*

In an almost identical thought to Will's, Hannibal was realizing that Sophia's arrival changed everything. At first, he was doubtful. He believed that Jack had inserted her here to watch him. If he was to believe that he and Will both were her fathers, which is biologically impossible, he needed to be sure. 

It wasn't that difficult to get a piece of hair from Sophia's brush. He waited for her to leave for the day, and walked right into the bathroom connected to the guest room she had moved into, letting him easily get what he wanted.

Will was a slightly different story, but he does shed a bit, so it wasn't hard to find a piece of his hair laying around in Hannibal's study. Having those two pieces of DNA, it was easy to get his own and have it sent to a private lab to be compared. 

Being a former surgeon really does have it's helpful moments. Looking down at the piece of paper, however, Hannibal was stunned. Going through all of the trouble to get the hair folicles, he knew that it would be impossible for both of them to biologically be her father. With her long brown hair and bluish green eyes, the odd's of her being Will's daughter was fairly decent.

What he did not expect, however, was for the results to come back and prove that she was both of their's.

When Hannibal had looked at the results earlier in the day, he hadn't know that the slight difference to her DNA was the Loric part of her. Now, he understood the slight difference showing there. 

Hannibal had to figure out what to do. He wanted to run away with Will at his side on the off chance that Will was really being truthful with him. With Sophia being here, how would she react to the news about what he does? Knowing that he can provide Will a family, he wonders if she would run with them? Would be agreeable to everything? 

The way she reacted to the pictures and what appears to be her own trauma made him wonder if she could stomach his darkness. He, of course, had to wonder if she had darkness of her own. It was an interesting development. 

What Hannibal needed to do now was assess everything. See where she lies. Hannibal placed the results in his desk drawer, and walked to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. 

On his way to his bedroom, he passed Sophia's door and found he couldn't resist looking in on her. Quietly opening her door just a smidge, Hannibal could see her laying on her side, facing him, her hair fanning around her head. 

He felt his heart stop and had to close his eyes momentarily. Opening his eyes, the sight was still there. In the moonlight coming through the window, her resemblance of Mischa in her facial features were clear.

Trying to breathe to calm himself, Hannibal closed the door soundlessly and moved into his room. His hand shook as he set the glass down on his end table and he immediately began to berate himself. 

He could feel that he was already becoming possessive of the girl. His primary worry, though, was how much pull she may have over him? Hannibal knew that from now on, he wouldn't be able to stop seeing her similarities to his dead sister, and that would throw him more off balance.

He sighed, changed into his night time pajamas, and gracefully got on the bed, worried for the tenth time that day what kind of repercussions she would have now that she was here.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day two in the life of our favorite murder husbands and their test tube daughter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> I'm sorry that it took a few weeks, but i wanted to make sure this was well written and the way i seen it in my head!
> 
> I apologize for any mistakes in this chapter!

Will woke up to the sound of screaming. This time, it wasn't his. He jumped up and ran through the door, not even bothering with putting on pants. A door opened further down the hall. Hannibal's. Footsteps followed him to the door next to the stairs which was Sophia's.

Worried, he pushed the door open to see her thrashing around under her comforter, still screaming at the top of her lungs. Will quickly moved to her side, Hannibal rushing around the foot of the bed to be on her other side.

Will gently touched her shoulder and was just starting to lightly shake it, when the screaming stopped. He breathed a sigh of relief and shared a glance with Hannibal.

The relief was short-lived though. He could hear her whimpering and at first, it was impossible to make out what she was saying. The longer she went, however, the louder she got until you couldn't NOT hear what she was saying.

"No! Please, stop!" Then, at the top of her lungs, "Brent, no!" 

Hannibal put his hand on her other shoulder and started shaking her gently, trying to rouse her. After a minute, she quieted once more and opened her eyes, harsh breaths coming from her lips. She looked first at Hannibal, before turning her head ever so slightly to look at Will. A quiet, "I'm sorry," was heard and it took all Will had not to pull her towards him to hold her. One look at Hannibal, and he was shocked to find his thoughts mirrored on his face. 

Will softly shushed her and moved his hand from her shoulder to her hair, smoothing it from her forehead in an attempt to soothe her. Sophia closed her eyes, and he could tell that her breathing was calming. He sat down on the edge of the bed without stopping his hand and, within the next minute, seen Hannibal set down on the edge from his side as well.

The three of them stayed that way for several minutes. The room silent, but for the sounds of Sophia's breathing, slowing ever so slightly down, until it evened out. She opened her eyes to look at Will. He stilled his hand and held the eye contact, not willing to look away no matter how uncomforable it normally made him.

He smiled at her only after seeing her go to smile herself. She looked between both Hannibal and himself. "I'm sorry for waking you."

Hannibal was the first to speak, his accent thick due to his sleepiness. "Never apologize, my dear. Never for that." Will saw Hannibal grab Sophia's hand and pull it up against his lips, kissing it gently. "I believe that i speak for Will when i say that we'll always be here when you have a nightmare, and that there is no where either of us would rather be when you need the both of us in such a way." Hannibal rubbed her hand between his own before setting it down on the bed.

Will had no idea what came over him, but he couldn't keep himself from leaning over and replacing his hand on her forehead with his lips, hoping that the fatherly kiss alone would be enough to chase away any more nightmares that the young girl would have. 

When he moved away, he seen that Sophia's eyes were closed. He could tell that she had falled back asleep. Will looked over at Hannibal and watched an emotion fly across his face, too fast for him to catch. They both stood up and moved quietly out of her room, Hannibal closing the door softly behind them. 

They started walking back down the hallway, side by side this time. Once reaching the door to the guest room that Will had occupied, he hesitated for just a moment before opening his mouth, whispering what was on his mind. 

"Did you mean it? What you said back there?" Hannibal had kept walking, but stopped at Will's words.

Will watched Hannibal slowly turn to look at him. "You're worried. You're comparing her to Abigail, to your unborn child, aren't you?"

The sound of Abigail's name coming from Hannibal caused his anger to build, but hearing him talk about his and Margot's lost baby helped it surface. He walked forward to stand directly in front of the man, struggling to keep his voice low. "Can you blame me? After everything you've done? I find myself wanting to leave with her because i don't trust you with her!"

Will took a deep breath before continuing. "Everyone else in my family is gone. Even the makeshift family i tried to allow myself is gone. The only family i had was my pack. Now i have another chance at having a child and i am terrified that you are going to make the decision to take her from me just to see what i do." 

There was silence for a minute. Hannibal closed his eyes and once they had been closed for over a minute, Will felt shock because this was a sign that Hannibal was being vulnerable. From the ragged sigh that came from his lips and the look in his eyes once he opened them, Will knew that he wasn't putting on a show. That he wasn't being manipulated once more.

"Will, not only is she your child, by blood, but she is also mine." Hannibal said nothing more and Will watched him walk to his room and close the door before going into the guest room and closing his own. 

He sat down on the bed to think. Rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hand, he didn't know what to think. Did that statement mean that Hannibal wouldn't hurt her? The look on his face made it seem that way. 

He sighed before laying down once more. When it came to the older man, Will could never trust what he thought. Hannibal would seem to think one thing, but really be the exact opposite. It was hard for Will to tell when he wasn't being manipulated at this point because of how the man was. How vague he was and how little he seemed to say when the conversation was focused more on his inner thoughts rather than his results from psychoanalyzing others.

2:31 am was the time on his phone, indicating that it was way too early for him to be thinking about all of this, but his protectiveness for Sophia eclipsed that thought. He would undoubtedly kill for her, even if that meant he would have to fight side by side with Hannibal, he would gladly do it. For her.

*

Will woke up several hours later with a headache. He sat up and pushed his palm against his forehead, wishing that the pain would go away. After a few moments, it did. He stood up and put on his jeans and shirt, the clothing slightly wrinkled from being on the floor.

Will put his phone into his pocket and made the bed, not wanting to feel Hannibal's wrath for not cleaning up after himself. He walked downstairs and into the kitchen to see Sophia sitting on one of the stools while watching Hannibal cook.

She turned around when he walked in. "Are you staying for breakfast?" She sounded hopeful. Will looked up at Hannibal, who gave him a slight nod that indicated that he was welcome to stay if he wanted.

Will smiled and set down on the stool next to their daughter. "I guess i'll wait to meet Jack until after breakfast."

Sophia stiffened slightly next to him, before relaxing once more. "Will you be coming back tonight?"

Will mentally sighed. He didn't want to leave her at all. He was worried that as soon as he was too far away from her, he would loose her as he had lost Abigail. He didn't want to go through the feeling of losing another child. 

Will turned himself slightly so that his body was facing her. "I can't. Not tonight. The dogs need to be fed and taken care of. I can't leave them for too long."

Sophia nodded, but he could see her disappointment. He could tell she didn't want him to leave anymore than he did. 

They were silent until after breakfast, Sophia being the first to speak. "Will you be talking to Jack about the Loric stuff?" 

"No, this meeting is about another case." Will couldn't help but to look over at Hannibal as soon as the words left his mouth. The man looked at him questioningly, but didn't say anything.

After last night, if Sophia ends up wanting to stay with them regardless of their darkness, he knows that he would follow her whereever. Even if that means going on the run with Hannibal. He was going to have to figure out exactly how to tell Hannibal about everything. That was something he dreaded profoundly.

Before leaving, he kissed Sophia on her forehead and hugged her, promising to call her that night to check in. 

Hannibal walked him out to the car. "What case are you working on?" 

Will allowed them to make eye contact. "One that i will tell you about soon. I have stuff i need to figure out before bringing it up to you." He could tell Hannibal could see something in his face, but he didn't bring it up. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Hannibal walked back into the house, he walked over to me and pushed my hair behind my ear. "I can tell your disappointed. We'll figure out a sure-fire way so that the three of us get to spend more time together."

I smiled softly. My phone chose that moment to ring from the living room. Hannibal bent his head forward ever so slightly, giving me permission to answer it.

It was Nine. Before i could even say 'Hello' upon answering, i heard my name. "Sophia?"

"Yeah, it's me. Nine, you don't sound okay. What's going on?"

There was silence for a moment before he responded. "It's not important." His voice sounded gruff, like he had just woke up. Why would he be calling me as soon as he woke?

"Nine, if it's bothering you-"

"It's nothing, i promise. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

I sighed. "I'm okay. Try not to worry too much about me. If i need you, i promise i'll call you, okay?"

I could hear Nine exhale. "Okay. We'll be staying here for another day or so, so we'll be around."

"Okay." I heard the click of the call disconnecting. Whenever we talk over the phone, the end of the conversations are always the hardest. We would just stay on the line awkwardly, neither of us wanting to disconnect or knowing how to say goodbye. Eventually, we found it easier to just get to the point of the call and hang up once it was made.

I set my phone down before going into Hannibal's study, knocking on the doorframe before entering.

He sat down his pencil before speaking. "You do realize that you don't have to knock before entering. That is why i insist on leaving the door open." 

I smiled and sat down in one of the leather chairs opposite of him. "I do realize. However, i believe it's polite to at least knock rather than just walking right in."

Hannibal turned his seat around completely and entwined his hands in his lap. "There is something i would like to talk to you about. If you would rather Will to be present as well for the conversation, we will wait."

I looked at him, knowing he could see the question in my eyes. "We'll need to eventually talk about the case we're working on. We can talk about it as much or as little as you would like."

"But Jack-"

"I don't care about him, nor the case. I care about you and your wellbeing. Forgive me for interrupting because i do find it rude and absolutely abhorr being rude, but i don't want you to feel forced to talk about this if you feel as though you're not ready. Jack already makes Will feel compelled to do things that isn't good for him or that he doesn't want to do. He doesn't get to do that to you as well."

I nodded. "I won't lie. I really don't want to talk about it. I don't want to relive it. I do have to, though. At least with you and Will. That tenth possible kill i mentioned yesterday? If it's not me, it's possible that it might be one of you two."

Hannibal's expression visibly darkened. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. "I can promise you, my sweet, that if this person comes after either Will or myself, or especially you, he will absolutely rue the day that he first heard of you."

I could see just how much he meant what he said. I believe most people would be frightened at the darkness showing on his face, but it made me feel safe. For the first time since my Legacies started appearing, i finally felt like i had someone who could and would protect me. Like i had a true guardian that wasn't a kid my own age. That made me feel protected in a way that i wasn't used to.

Hannibal stood and started to walk out, probably going to get himself back into control. Without using my telepathy, i could tell that he was struggling with it. I stood up as well, but instead of allowing him to walk away, i jumped to stand in front of him.

Before he could speak, i wrapped my arms around his waist and just rested my head against his shoulder, not wanting to lose that feeling of being protected.

He tensed at my touch in surprise. After a moment, he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed, dropping his chin to rest on top of my head. "Please don't hide your darkness from me. I don't quite understand why, but the feeling i got from you when you gave me the look you did before, i've never felt more safe in my life. So please don't keep that from me."

I pulled away from Hannibal, enjoying the open look of surprise on his face. "Also, i feel like i might as well inform you that i know what kind of meat you've been feeding me the last few days. I've eaten Human meat before." I walked out of the room and up to my room with that, absolutely loving the shocked look that crossed Hannibal's features before i made my exit.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hannibal turned around and sat back down at his desk, just staring. He had to take a few minutes before he could pull himself together. He may have been shocked, but that feeling quickly gave way to pride. How had she eaten human meat? Did she kill to eat it? 

That brought him to the questions of if Sophia knew how he got the meat. Hannibal opened his sketchbook and flipped to a new page. He picked up his pencil and started drawing his daughter, in the same position she was in yesterday on the floor. If he could push aside the worry he felt at the sight of her fall, he could see how breathtaking she looked laying there, that same lost look that Will used to have when he would lose himself appearing on her face.

He drew Sophia for the next few hours, wanting to make sure he was able to capture every little detail. When he looked at the clock and noticed it was noon, he closed his book and made his way to the kitchen to prepare lunch. 

He finished preparing the meal before walking upstairs to knock politely on the young girl's door. 

"Come in!"

He opened the door to see her sitting on her bed, working on her laptop. She was smiling up at him mischeviously, and he had to admit to himself, that he felt a lot of pride at her personality. "Lunch is ready downstairs, if you would join me?" 

She closed her computer as an answer and stood up. He turned around and walked down to the kitchen to grab their plates. Hannibal walked into the dining room to see her sitting down at the right of the head of the table, the spot that has quickly become her's. He sat the salad down in front of her before walking back into the kitchen to grab the silverware and their water.

Sophia began eating only once he was seated and comfortable. He felt another flash of pride flow through him. It was a bit disconcerting that she would cause him to already be feeling fatherly towards her, but he was somewhat used to it because of Abigail. She had made great practice for him, to prepare him for Sophia unknowingly.

Halfway through the meal, Sophia broke the comfortable silence. "I'm not ready quite yet for you to tell me how you get the meat. Obviously, i'm not entirely stupid and can figure it out relatively easily, but i know i'm going to want to hear you say it, and i'm not quite ready for that."

"Of course. I respect that. To be quite honest, i had not expected to have this kind of conversation quite this early in our relationship, but i can not complain." Hannibal ate a few mouthfuls before continuing. "Whenever you do feel ready or think you might be ready, feel free to come to me."

"Does Will know?"

Hannibal smiled. "Yes, he knows. The story behind that is quite complicated, but once you would like to know everything, i will explain."

Sophia nodded and continued to eat, as though they weren't having the conversation that they were. Once they were finished, Sophia took their dishes and cleaned them. 

Hannibal had just sat down to finish his drawing when Sophia knocked on the doorframe to his study. "Yes, dear?"

"Um, so i actually got a job yesterday."

Hannibal turned around to look at her, pleasantly surprised. Her getting a job meant that she would be sticking around longer. The happiness clouded his vision for a moment before pulling back and being replaced by apprehension, unsure how to feel about the emotions she was causing. "Oh? I do believe congraduations are in order."

She smiled. "I will actually be doing assistant teacher work. I was wondering if i could perhaps use your study when i do any work? I think it would be easier to concentrate somewhere other than my room."

He could tell there was more to that, but he didn't ask. "My study is your study. Was that what you were working on before lunch?"

"Yes. Is it okay if i come down here now? I don't want to bother you if you have work you need to do." 

Hannibal smiled at his child softly. "Never think you would be a bother to me. You are more than welcome to work in here, even when i occupy the space as well."

Without another word Sophia left, coming back a moment later with a laptop and her water, setting the water on top of the coaster on the table before settling in a chair with the laptop on her lap.

With the sound of Sophia typing away, Hannibal turned around and started back on his drawing of her, hoping to finish it before too long.

*

"If you would like, i can have an additional desk brought in, if it would be easier for you."

Once the silence had went on for a few moments, Hannibal turned around to see Sophia staring at her computer screen. He could tell just from her small microexpressions that she wasn't sure how to respond.

Hannibal cleared his throat and she looked up. "Before you think too hard, it would not be a bother. I would love to share this space with you and i prefer to do it with you being as comfortable as possible."

Sophia just gave a nod and smiled slightly, still not sure how to respond. "Search for a desk and office chair and let me know what you pick. I'll have it delivered once they're picked out." He made sure to keep his voice sounding sure, not allowing her to hear anything that would make her hesitate to accept his offer.

Another minute went by before she smiled wider and nodded, this time more sure of herself. "Okay. I'll get started on looking."

"Perfect."

Hannibal began on his paperwork, relaxing into the comfortable silence with his daughter, him writing and her typing, the sounds from both of them creating a beautiful symphony within his mind. One that would create a new addition within his memory palace, the first shared space of him and his child.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Upon Will's arrival at home, the pack surrounded him and attacked him. He could tell he had been missed. He couldn't wait for Sophia to meet them. 

Will couldn't wait to get Sophia out here and to spend some time with her. He hadn't had any one on one time with her and he desperately wanted that.

Will sat his bags down on the kitchen counter and made himself a small cup of whisky. He opened the door and went out on the porch with the dogs, him stopping to stand there while they ran through the field playing.

As he took his first sip, he was brought back to the conversation that he had earlier with Jack. He could feel the grimace come across his face.

Jack had been impatient with him. When Will told him that he didn't have anything concrete on him yet that would allow them to arrest Hannibal, Jack immediately started going off the deepend and blamed everything on Sophia's presence.

The more time that Will had to deal with Jack, the more he could understand the appeal of killing him at their big dinner alongside Hannibal. Now that they had Sophia, however, that plan had to change. They very well couldn't go on the run with their child. She wouldn't have any kind of life like that. And now that he had found out she was Loric, he doubted that she had had any kind of stability.

He finished his drink and whistled for the dogs to follow him inside. Once they were all accounted for, he closed the door and made himself a random frozen dinner he had found in the back of his freezer.

While he was eating, Will made a mental note to go grocery shopping. He would need the food for Sophia in case she came over. 

After the meal, Will sat in one of his chairs in the living room with his after dinner glass of whisky and called Sophia. She answered on the second ring.

"Will?!"

Will frowned, not knowing how to respond to the enthusiasm, whether she was excited or upset. "Yes, Sophia, it's me."

"It feels weird with you not being here." He could hear typing in the background.

"It feels weird not being there." Will had spent the last four days at Hannibal's house. He hadn't wanted to leave once he met his daughter. He only came home now to make sure the dogs were truly fed. He wanted to trust the new dog caring company he found, but it would take a while for Will to be comfortable with random people taking care of his pack.

"How has your day been?"

Sophia laughed. "It's actually been really good. I was worried about how i would feel after yesterday and last night, but i've been okay today. I've been preoccupied. Nine called earlier to check in on me and we've texted off and on through the day so that he knows that i'm fine. Talking to him a little has also helped."

"Good. Are the Lorics going to be staying a bit longer?"

"Yeah. They both want to watch over me. I can tell their worried, just like i can tell both you and Hannibal are also worried about me, even though you try to hide it.

Will sighed. "To be honest, i'm just afraid of something happening to you, especially with your familiarity with this case."

"I know."

They were both silent for a few minutes. 

"Did you and Hannibal talk about anything that happened?"

"No. I told him that i would prefer to tell the both of you at the same time. It would make more sense rather than repeating myself twice."

Will felt relief replace the jealousy that was beginning. Jealousy that he hadn't even noticed. "I will be back tomorrow. If Hannibal allows it, i may stay the entire weekend. We'll have plenty of time to talk if you would like to."

"Having you back here would feel great. The house feels too big without you here too." Will could hear the excitement in her voice, even though he could tell she was trying to contain it greatly.

"How did your meeting with Agent Crawford go?" 

Will wished he could tell her exactly how it went, what was said, everything. He longed for someone to speak about everything with that wasn't Jack or Hannibal. Nevertheless, he couldn't, so he lied. "It went fantastic. I consulted on another one of the cases we have going on at the moment. It wasn't too big of a deal."

Will felt satisfied with that answer. It wasn't entirely a lie. 

They sat there and talked for a few more hours, Will occasionally getting up to either refill his glass with water or let the dogs out. After about 11, Will refilled his glass for the final time and brought all the dogs back in from their final run before reluctantly getting off the phone with his daughter.

He made promises of waking early to be there at a decent hour in order to maximize his time there. Will could tell Sophia truly didn't want to hang up the phone, so he told her goodnight, and gave her another second before ending the call.

He stayed sitting in his chair for several more minutes, wanting to prolong the feeling of contentedness he had from just speaking with Sophia. He felt like he could talk to her for hours and it never be enough. 

He sighed and prepared himself for bed. He would be with her soon enough tomorrow and he needed the time alone to think anyway.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Once Will hung up the phone, i couldn't help the feeling of sadness that went through me. I hated it that he wasn't here or that Hannibal and i wasn't with him. The last few days had caused me to get accustomed to the routine and familiarity of being around the two men and Will not being here made everything slightly uncomfortable. 

Even dinner had been a quiet affair. I had been able to identify the meat type once again. Almost every meal that we had eaten that contained meat had been with human meat. It made me highly curious, but i needed to wait before i had Hannibal tell me everything himself. I needed time and also needed to stop acting so impulsively, no matter how curious i was.

While talking to Will, i had heard Hannibal's footsteps go past my door, but he never went past again, which led me to believe that he was in his room.

I walked out of mine and walked down the hallway, stopping in front of his closed door. Upon knocking, i realized that it was only barely closed, so barely that my light knock caused it to swing open. 

Hannibal was sitting on the bed, with his back resting against the headboard. He looked up and closed his book, setting it down on the end table next to him. "You don't just have to stand there. You may come in."

Hearing his consent, i took a few steps into his space, trying to keep myself from looking over every little thing i could see. Hannibal standing up drew my attention back over to him.

"I left my door cracked in case you wanted to say goodnight before sleeping."

I smiled at him and walked over to wrap my arms around his waist, hugging him exactly like i had earlier. And just like earlier, it caught him off guard just enough to be noticeable. After a second, he wrapped his arms around me, resting one of his hands on the back of my head and laying his head against the top of mine.

Just like earlier, i felt that safety again. I absolutely loved it and never wanted to leave while simultaneously thinking about his reaction to the hugs. For someone who used small touches to speak at times, the way he reacted when he wasn't the one initiating the touch is interesting.

I made a mental note to ask Will about that tomorrow. Since i didn't want to move yet, i stayed where i was for a few more moments before saying goodnight and pulling away. Before i could pull entirely away, however, Hannibal stopped me and kissed my forehead very softly, releasing me afterwards while smiling and saying goodnight as well.

I left the room with a content smile on my face, closing his door and then my own behind me. Even though i had been sad that Will hadn't been with us, getting some time to spend with just Hannibal had been nice. I wondered if being around just Will would feel as safe as being around Hannibal.

I laid down on the bed, closing my eyes and feeling excited about the prospect of seeing my other father the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! 
> 
> It will be two weeks at the latest before i'll post the next update. I've been trying to update this on the weekends, so if it's not updated next weekend, it will definitely be updated the one after that!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait on this one! It took me a bit to get the motivation for it, but i hope you enjoy!
> 
> Not beta'ed, so any mistakes are on me.

Groaning in pain, i looked around the room, my hands bound by the Dreynen-infused cuffs. I could see the bodies of the dead sitting slumped over in their chairs, arms and legs still bound to it, even in death.

I could hear Brent calling to me, yelling at me from his seat to the right of me, trying to get my attention. After blinking a few times, i turned to look at him. He was still yelling. I could tell he was saying different words, but all i could hear was "Sophia!" over and over again. I blinked once and suddenly, one of my dead friends was crouched in front of me, his face unrecognizable, the nubs of his arms reaching towards me. I screamed and screamed and screamed, each scream louder than the first. I could still hear my name coming from Brent, but his voice sounded slightly different, deeper-sounding. 

I couldn't stop screaming and after blinking several times, the scene changed. Instead of being in the bright room with all of those bodies and my friend seemingly reaching out for me, i seen a mostly dark room with Hannibal sitting on the bed next to me, hands resting on my shoulders.

He was still softly saying my name and my breathing was still heavy from the dream. I started shifting in order to sit up and Hannibal moved his arms away from me. Once i fully sat up, he softly said my name again. 

I went to rub at my face and noticed it was wet. I had been crying in my sleep. I managed to whisper, "I'm okay. It was just a nightmare."

Hannibal nodded. "Would you like to talk about it?"

I could feel my body slightly shaking and tears gather at the corners of my eyes at the prospect of talking about it. I was already dreading telling both him and Will everything. 

"It was a nightmare from my last days there." I didn't have to specify the 'there'. I knew Hannibal would know what i meant. "The only other living person was yelling at me and one of the dead bodies in the room was crouched over me."

I heard Hannibal sigh. I felt his arms wrap around me and pull me against him. In turn, i wrapped mine around him and buried my head against his chest, tears streaming down my face and staining his shirt. 

Hannibal was rubbing my back in an attempt to soothe me. I let myself stay in that embrace from a while longer before pulling away. From the look on Hannibal's face, i could tell he would have allowed me to stay that way for as long as i liked, for which i was grateful.

My breathing was once again normal and my crying had stopped. I sent a slight smile in Hannibal's direction. "I think i'll be okay for the rest of the night."

"Okay." Hannibal leaned over and kissed my forehead. He stood up and walked towards the open door. Before he closed, he turned. "Goodnight, Sophia."

"Goodnight, Hannibal."

Once the door was closed, i laid back down in the hopes of getting more sleep. That proved to be harder than i had hoped. After laying there for a few hours, i could see the sun starting to filter through the curtains.

I stood up and made my way to my bathroom, wanting to take a shower. I could still feel the cuffs around my wrists and i wanted that feeling to go away more than anything. 

Thirty minutes later found me once again on my bed, freshly showered. The feeling of the cuffs were gone, but i still couldn't sleep. 

Wondering if Nine was awake and if i could mentally reach him from here, i tried reaching out. As soon as i felt the connection, i could hear the sound of heavy breathing and the slapping of shoes against concrete.

"Nine?"

I could tell he jumped. Naturally, i found it amusing. 

"Hey! That's not funny!"

I hadn't realized that i had broadcasted that. Which made it all the more hilarious.

When i didn't say anything, Nine tried again. "Is everything okay?"

I sighed, which i now knew he would pick up on. "I had a nightmare and couldn't fall back asleep. I figured i would test this to see if it would work in case i needed you."

I could hear softer footsteps now. He was walking now instead of running. "Oh. I couldn't sleep either. Kept dreaming that my arm was chasing me. Woke up with the feeling of needing to run, so here i am."

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped at the mental image of Nine's lost arm chasing after him. "Not funny, Soph! It was very traumatic!" He tried to act angry, but i could tell he was trying to keep from laughing too.

"I didn't realize how much i missed really talking to you until now. We've only been talking for a few minutes and i genuinely feel better."

I could feel him trying to hide his emotion from that, but flashes of happiness still came through.

"Good. I'm feeling better too."

We talked like that for a while longer. In that conversation, Nine had gotten back to the hotel and Hannibal had woken and walked past my room and down the stairs, presumably to make breakfast. Once i could smell the food, i sighed.

"He's done, isn't he?"

"Getting there, unfortunately. I'm starting to be able to smell it."

"Well, hey. If you can't sleep later tonight or if you get bored, reach back out to me, okay? You know i absolutely don't mind you being inside my mind."

I laughed. "Okay. I'll remember that." I cut off the connection and got up, walking downstairs to see about food, just as the doorbell ringed. 

"I got it!" I yelled, walking towards the door and opening it, smile spreading across my face when i seen Will standing there.

I immediately reached out and hugged him, catching the flannel-wearing man of guard. He hugged back after a second. I pulled back and moved aside to allow him inside, before leading him to the kitchen. "It was Will!"

Hannibal turned around to face the doorway from his place at the stove. "Hello, Will. Good morning, Sophia."

Will nodded in Hannibal's direction and sat on one of the stools against the counter, myself sitting on one next to him. 

Hannibal finished breakfast at right that second, and served it, sitting on the stool on the other side of me.

While eating, my excitement at seeing Will was quickly replaced with anxiety. They may want me to talk about everything today. Can i handle it? Would it truly help find Sebastian? My mind started whirling, going down that panic-filled rabbit hole.

"Breathe, Sophia."

I gasped and jumped, startling my two companions. It was a good thing i didn't have food in my mouth right at that moment because i would have choked. 

I heard laughter and immediately felt the need to smack Nine the next time i seen him.

"Hey, it was only fair. You scared me once today."

"Sophia?" Will's voice was filled with concern.

"You might want to answer that."

"Oh my god, i hate you!" The words flew from my mouth before i could stop them and i felt both embarrassment and laughter fill my brain. I sighed.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't meant for either of you."

I could practically feel the men's confusion.

"Next time, close the connection fully."

"You could have said something before now!"

"I was curious. Now ignore me and eat your food. And stop being so anxious. Everything will be fine. I don't mind keeping the connection open if you want."

"Okay."

"Again, i'm sorry. I couldn't sleep after my nightmare, so i decided to experiment with my telepathy. I guess i didn't close the connection with Nine like i thought i did and he said something to me, which scared me."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up into Will's blue eyes. "It's okay. Stuff happens." With that, he went back to eating and i could hear Hannibal continue as well. Feeling better and anxiety momentarily forgotten, i continued eating as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Once they had all finished, Will gathered their dishes and cleaned them before putting them all up. Sophia had moved into the living room and Hannibal was still sitting on the stool. 

Will turned around to face him. "She's still having nightmares?"

"It seems they are about her time in captivity. She gave me a vague description last night about the one she had." Hannibal seemed to hesitate before he continued. Will made sure to file that moment away for further contemplation. Hannibal's voice was quieter. "She was screaming even louder and more than the other night. Will..." The man didn't continue and stared down at the floor.

Will walked over to him and sat in Sophia's vacant stool. "What is it, Hannibal?"

When Hannibal raised his head, the vulnerability in his eyes absolutely shocked Will. "I keep imagining possibilities of what she went through. She could have died. I could have lost her and not even knew she existed." The more he talked, the softer and the more scared he sounded, which was way out of character for the older man. "I can't lost someone else, Will. I can't"

The man sitting next to him didn't even seem like Hannibal. It was like he was talking to a completely different person. Will wasn't used to Hannibal letting him in like this and that's what it was. Hannibal was showing him a break in his person suit. Will could see tears threatening to spill from Hannibal's eyes. 

That look made Will feel more than what he wanted to feel. That look made him even more determined to steer Jack away from Hannibal. Will wondered for a second if the man was being maniplative once more, but quickly made that thought go away. Hannibal was allowing Will to see him. He wouldn't manipulate someone with that. 

Will gently touched the side of Hannibal's face once he seen the tear fall and caught it, before saying softly, "You won't. I'm here, Sophia's here. We won't let anything happen to her. She's OURS."

Hannibal nodded and looked slightly better, leaning into Will's hand.

Will found that he didn't want to move his hand. He enjoyed the feeling of Hannibal relying on him instead of it being the other way around, which it so often was. He heard the softest of sighs and came out of his thoughts, realizing that he had been rubbing Hannibal's cheek with his thumb, Hannibal's eyes closed. 

Hannibal looked so vulnerable and at peace that it made Will's breath hitch. He wanted more of this. He wanted more of seeing Hannibal like this with him and that scared him. That scared him because it was making him see his feelings towards the other man, the feelings that was so obviously reciprocated.

Hannibal's eyes opened and they made eye contact, ocean blue melting with bright maroon. Will could feel himself being pulled towards the other man, almost like a gravitational pull, and could see Hannibal being pulled as well. 

Will kept his hand against the other man's cheek as their faces moved closer, feeling conflicted at what was happening between them, but not enough to fight against it. As they could feel each other's slightly heavy breathing against the other's lips, they both heard the sound of the doorbell. The unexpected noise brought them both out of whatever spell had consumed them, but neither of them moved.

They stayed like that, breathing each other's breath, without lips touching, until they heard Sophia yell that their visitor was Jack. Will heard something that sounded very close to a growl come from Hannibal and it made something stir deep inside of him that he hadn't felt before. He was shocked to realize that he really liked the growl.

He felt Hannibal sigh against his lips before the man nuzzled against his hand and pulled away, standing up and reaching a hand down to assist Will.

Will accepted the help before whispering, "We'll continue this later, okay?"

Hannibal nodded and lead them to the living room where Jack and Sophia were sitting in awkward silence. From the look on her face, Will could tell she was mentally conversing with Nine once more. From the look on Jack's face, he could tell that Jack had noticed it and was severely weirded out, something that amused Will to no end. He made a mental reminder to tell Sophia to do more Loric stuff around Jack more just to see him with that expression.

"Hey, Jack, what's up?"

Jack turned to look at him, an unpleasant look on his face. "I'm not sure i want to tell with her in the room."

Sophia immediately shut that down. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm assuming it has something to do with the case. I can handle it."

Hannibal and Will shared a look, immediately understanding each other. Hannibal spoke for the both of them. "She can stay, Jack."

Jack sighed, obviously unhappy. "We found another body."

"Can i see the picture?"

Jack looked over at Sophia in shock at her question before glancing at the men. Will nodded. Jack opened the folder he was holding and gave the picture to Sophia. 

She loudly gasped. "It looks just like him," she whispered.

Will moved over to sit next to his daughter. "Like who?"

"Like Stark," the whisper continued. "He looks just like Stark." Will could see tears on Sophia's face. He felt the paternal feeling of wanting to shield her from this horror, of wanting to take all of this away and keep her safe. 

Hannibal spoke from the doorway. "The symbol?"

"The Loric number four."

Sophia handed the picture back to Jack and leaned into Will, him happily holding her to try to comfort her. He could hear Jack questioning Hannibal about their progress with their child and Hannibal responding in an angry manner. Jack left without telling him goodbye. He was okay with that.

Hannibal left the room and came back with a tissue, handing it to Sophia. She sat up and started wiping at her face with it. Hannibal waited a moment before speaking. "If you want, we can go ahead and talk about everything or even just some of it. If not, we can go about our day."

Sophia was obviously thinking and finally, she nodded. "I need to get it over with."

She was silent for a few moments before she started. "To start it all off, i was with the Loric the entire time they were running from the mogadorians, the entire time they or should i say we, were labeled terrorists. Towards the end of everything, when all of the photos and videos really started appearing, i was in some. Before that, my face was always hidden, all of them not wanting to draw attention to me in order to protect me. We didn't know what i was at the time and everyone was worried what would happen if Setrakus Ra found out about my existence."

"Anyway, like i said, my face started being shown online. Even though i didn't yet have my Legacies, i knew how to fight. When everything blew over, i assisted at the Garde Academy. I helped with running the place. When everything happened with the Foundation and the inhibitor chips, i was there for that. When the bomb blew in New Lorien, that's when i started developing my Legacies. One of the girls there, Ran, she had the ability to absorb explosions. When she started absorbing the blast, it was almost like it ricocheted into me. Instead of her absorbing it all, i did. But instead of having to release it back like she would have had to, i was able to just take it in and still be okay."

"After that happened and we all recovered, we started building our community and offering our services. I continued to develop Legacies. Dr. Goode, our makeshift doctor and scientist, started looking into me, considering that we didn't believe i was just regular earth guard. The Legacies i was developing was almost impossible for a single guard to have unless they have the Ximic Legacy, which allows someone to copy any Legacy. I didn't have that Legacy from what wr could tell."

"Once our offers to help started being accepted, we all would go out on the projects, assisting in every way we could. We went on so many different missions that we lost track. A few months into it was when it happened. I was in Australia. It was one of the rare times i was alone. There was a random guy near me while i was working and before i knew it, he was right behind me and had hit me with something."

"When i came to, i was sitting in a chair with my hands cuffed, sitting in a 'u' shape with a group of guys. I was the first to wake. The cuffs were infused with what is called Dreynen. That Legacy basically negates any other Legacies from being used. I still have no idea how he managed to get them infused with that Legacy, but that's what it was. It causes a burn to appear on whatever comes in contact with it. A very painful burn that is impossible to heal, even with our Legacies."

"When the men started waking up, i realized there was twelve of them, six of them on either side of me. I also realized they were all people i had known when i was younger, people that i had once called family. You see, i was adopted by John Smith's Cepan Henry when i was 8, but before that, i had lived in an orphange. The only reason that Henry adopted me was that when the first Loric died and John developed the first scar, so did i. We were all at a town fair at the time and both John and i dropped like a sack of potatoes from the pain. Henry came for me the next day."

"I had a group of people in that home that was family to me, my brothers, and all of them were currently tied to chairs around me. The man started systematically cutting bits and pieces off of them all, starting with Lucas and ending with Brent. He would cook each piece before cutting it in half and sharing it with me. Lucas was the first to die. He was followed by Michael and Trey. Brent was the last. I came to find out that the man, Sebastian is what he called himself, had seen me in those videos during the Mogadorian invasion and became obsessed. He wanted to be the only important human in my eyes and figured that by eating all of them together, it would solidify our bond."

"We were there for six months. Within the first month, i realized that i had the Dreynen Legacy due to the feeling of still having access to a Legacy. That was the only possible one. I figured out that my Legacy was attempting to balance out the one infused in the cuffs to cancel it completely out. When it started to work, Brent and i was the last ones. I could barely access my telekinesis. I knew it would have been easiest to untie Brent's ropes and have him remove the cuffs, so that's what i did. He had just removed one cuff when Sebastian came back. They fought and Brent had me run. I was going to run to try to remove the other cuff when i heard Brent scream just as i got to the doorway of the room we had been in. I remember turning to look at them and seeing Sebastian stabbing Brent through his eyes, laying surrounded by all the chairs, most of which still had the dead bodies of what was left uneaten of my brothers tied to them."

"Once Sebastian caught me looking, he cut Brent's throat and before he could stand, i ran. I knew Brent was gone. I could just feel it. I hated leaving them all there, but i knew that i had to. I don't know if Sebastian ever followed me or what happened to him."

"I don't even remember how i got the second cuff off. As soon as i did, i started speed running, turning myself invisible for more caution. I had somehow ended up in Tennessee from Australia. How he got me across the ocean is still a mystery to me. I managed to find a phone and contacted one of the emergency phones at our community. Practically everyone came running, John included. Once they got to me, we went back to where i was being held and it was gone. The building, the bodies, everything. There was no evidence of it ever existing. It was like the building just got up and left. We never did find it of any trace."

"We all went back home and John refused to let me back out on any more service missions. He refused to let me out of his sight, basically. This is what caused us to start assisting police departments and organizations like the FBI, in case we were asked to help on a case like this, so that we might find out more about what happened. After several months of being back home, that's when Dr. Goode informed me of the blood work. That he had found traces of no biological mother, but two biological fathers and traces of source Loric DNA. That's how i came to be here."

By the end of it, Sophia's face was completely covered in tears, her eyes red and swollen from the crying. Hannibal had continuously been handing her tissues through her entire story, so there was a neat little stack of them sitting on the table in front of her. 

"Thank you for telling us, sweetheart. We don't have to talk about it anymore." With that being said, Will wrapped his arms around her and Hannibal went to go throw away the tissues before coming back and sitting on the other side of their daughter, wrapping his arms around her as well, both of them hoping to be her shield against that evil.

"The victims that are appearing look just like my dead friends. They could have been siblings to them, they look so alike. They're appearing in the order of which they were killed. Lucas was the first to go and the first victim looked just like him. Same with two, three, and four."

"Okay, my darling." Hannibal said softly, stroking Sophia's hair. They stayed like that for a long time, just holding her and letting her be held.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Will and i were playing uno, in an attempt to brighten the mood. Hannibal had just brought me some tylenol for the headache that had developed from all the crying. He was cooking lunch while we played. 

"Hannibal isn't a fan of unintelligent things like uno, isn't he?"

Will laughed softly. "I've never seen him play something so mundane, so i have no idea."

"Why do i feel like i'm being talked about?"

Will and i both jumped and looked up to see Hannibal standing in the doorway, watching them play with a smile on his face.

"Lunch is ready by the way."

We finished up the game before going into the kitchen and sitting on the same stools that we sat in for breakfast. While we were eating, i could pick up a new found tension between my fathers. Me being me and wanting a distraction from everything that had happened today, i wanted to see what that tension was, but i didn't want to ask. I didn't want to be rude.

Afterwards, Will washed the dishes and i attempted to teach Hannibal uno. I was right in the assumption that he hadn't played, but asking sweetly and giving him my puppy eyes, he conceded.

We were playing in the study when Will walked in. He walked over to me and kissed the top of my head. "I need to go talk to Jack. I'll only be a little bit, okay?"

Knowing what he was going to be talking about, i just nodded and didn't ask. Hannibal nodded as well while staring at his cards.

After Will had been gone for a few minutes, Hannibal looked up at me. "That's how you knew what i was cooking."

I returned his stare. "Yes."

"I will only serve you regular meat if you prefer."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. It doesn't really gross me out anymore."

"Okay."

Nothing was said for the remainder of the game. 

*

Will joined us an hour later, and we dealed him in, us having to get Hannibal accustomed to now playing with three people instead of two.

Making Hannibal have to draw tons of cards was quickly becoming my favorite past time and i was laughing more than i had in a while. Will was struggling not to laugh, but each time Hannibal glared at him for the little noises that did escape, Will would truly break and couldn't keep the laughs at bay any longer with Hannibal quickly following along with his own laughter.

It was fun, we were all getting to spend time together. Time sped by, and before we all knew it, it was time for dinner to be cooked. The three of us made our way to the kitchen, each of us not wanting to separate from each other. Will and i helped where we could, Hannibal cooking most of it with us standing out of the way, of course. When it was almost finished, i helped Will set the table and prepare it for dinner. Hannibal joined us with our plates and we all sat in companionable silence as we ate. 

Once finished, the three of us relocated back to the kitchen while Will did the dishes and i dried them and put them away, all of us talking about little things. We all went to the living room to sit in front of the fire and relax while the three of us each picked up a book to read.

A few hours and several yawns later, i was ready to sleep and voiced as much. The day had been mentally exhausting and both men understood that. They stood up when i did, each giving me a hug and a kiss on the forehead, wishing me a goodnight. I walked upstairs to my room, changed into my sleepwear, wished Nine a goodnight, and quickly fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once Sophia had been in her room for several minutes, Hannibal heard the sound of Will setting his book down on the table. Hannibal saved his place and set his down as well, looking over at Will questioningly.

Will sighed. Hannibal could tell the man felt uneasy and wanted to talk to him about something. He figured it had to do with what transpired early this morning, but he was wrong as always when it came to predicting Will.

"I have a confession."

"Okay, Will. I'm listening."

Will sighed again and began picking at his sleeve, looking at the floor. "I.. i didn't kill Lounds."

Hannibal's breath stopped. "Then...?

"It was Randall Tier's meat we ate that night."

Hannibal released a breath, his mind both going crazy and standing still at the same time. "Okay."

"When i got out of the hospital, Jack wanted me to get close to you. He wanted me to win your trust and find evidence against you. That was actually what he discussed at our meeting the other day."

Hannibal could feel his anger rearing it's head and hated both himself and Will for it. Himself for feeling so much to feel betrayed and Will for getting so far under his skin. His voice turned cold due to it. "Why are you telling me this?"

Will rubbed his eyes. "Because Sophia changed everything. I started thinking about what would happen if i took you away from her. I also started spending more time with you, getting more accustomed to the feeling of having a family, of having a child, and not being scared that you would kill this one or be a part of the reason why she was killed.

Will sighed and his voice went softer, quieter, vulnerable. "I also started realizing some things concerning you and how i felt, i realized that no matter how angry i am at you for killing Abigail and practically letting Mason on to Margot's pregnancy, i couldn't stay angry. I couldn't keep myself from forgiving you. I couldn't blame you because, when it comes down to it, i understand why you did all that you did."

Hannibal was surprised and in shock. Will forgave him? And not to mention, understood his reasons behind it all?

Will continued in the same tiny voice. "I.... i'm sorry." Will started sounding choked and without seeing his face, Hannibal knew he was crying.

Hannibal moved to sit closer to Will. He could feel the younger man's body stiffen once he got close before relaxing once more. Will seemed almost resigned to his fate. Hannibal could tell Will had figured he would be hurt by coming clean about everything and felt as though he deserved it.

Hannibal placed his hand on the side of Will's face and brought it up so that it was on the same level as his. He could feel wetness against his thumb from Will's tears and gently started brushing them away.

He didn't say anything and Will just closed his eyes. Hannibal gently placed his forehead against the other man's and Will's eyes shot open, staring at Hannibal, bewildered.

"Will, by telling me this, you show me loyalty. You practically just told me you were willing to throw your life away, but you don't deserve that, my dear beloved boy."

Hannibal heard Will's soft gasp at that. "In my eyes, you're already forgiven, because you did nothing that brings it into question."

Will nodded. "Okay," came the low whisper. 

"We'll figure out how to deal with Jack together, but there's nothing to worry about."

Hannibal felt another nod against his forehead. He pulled away ever so slightly and, still swiping his thumbs across Will's cheeks, continued to keep the eye contact between the two. "Okay?" he whispered.

"Okay." came the whisper back.

Will was just barely leaning forward, Hannibal leaning as well, both feeling that pull from this morning. Their lips finally met, moving against each other softly, gently, as though they were worried anything more passionate would break the other. They continued the kiss for a moment before pulling away simultaneously and just staring at each other. 

At some point, Will's hands had come to rest gently against his waist. Both men were breathing harshly. Will smiled at him and Hannibal wearily smiled back, afraid of the hold the younger man had on him. If any other person had told him what he had, he would have killed them without hesitation. However, his Will was different. The feelings he had for him was unlike anything he had ever thought possible for himself, especially after everything that had happened with his sister. He hadn't felt anything this strongly since her death.

Hannibal felt lips against his and gasped into the kiss, Will pulling away after just a second. "I thought i was the one who was supposed to recede inside their own head?"

Hannibal laughed, genuinely and Will smiled. "My apologies."

Will laughed. "Ever the formal gentleman."

Hannibal gave a very quiet growl at that and immediately was pleased to see that Will liked the growl. He could see it in the other man's eyes. Hannibal practically jumped on Will, kissing him once more, this time more passionately than before. Will kiss back with equal passion, showing Hannibal that his feelings was reciprocated and not just one-sided.

Will slowly fell back against the side of the couch, pulling Hannibal down with him so that he was on top of him, his hands going to rest on either side of Will's head to keep from resting all of his body weight.

Will allowing this was showing that Will was practically submitting to his feelings and that brought another growl from his throat and he felt the man beneath him arch up into him, deepening the kiss even further.

Hannibal could feel himself growing hard from the feeling of the man beneath him and when Will moved slightly, he felt the other's erection move against his leg, which spurred him on more, licking Will's lips, seeking permission to enter.

Will's lips opened immediately and Hannibal started to move his tongue around his mouth, eager to taste Will in every way possible, but content to start with this. After making out for several minutes and getting each other unbareably hard, Hannibal pulled away, both of them breathing heavily.

Hannibal rested his head against the younger's forehead once more. "As much i want to take this further, i would like to court you properly."

The feel of Will's body shaking with laughter under his was absolutely amazing. "Haven't we done enough of that?"

Hannibal pulled away in surprise. Surprise that Will could easily see. "You weren't expecting me to give into my feelings so quickly, were you? You were expecting to have to work hard for anything more."

Hannibal was amazed. Like always, he had failed to predict Will, and marvelled at the man's ability to never be predicted. Will raised himself up to capture Hannibal's lips once more, giving a sign of contentment afterward. "I'm going to find it hard to keep from doing that now that's i've experienced it."

It was Hannibal's turn to laugh. "Trust me when i say that there will never be a time where that is unwelcome." He absolutely loved the smile he got from Will at that.

Whatever Will was going to say was interrupted by the grandfather clock chiming in to inform them of it being midnight. Hannibal sighed. "We should probably head to bed."

Hannibal didn't want to move, so he kissed Will once more, just as passionately as before, before moving off of the man and standing, offering his hand to the man to help him stand. 

Once Will was standing, Hannibal guided them upstairs and upon reaching the guest room Will normally slept in, Hannibal stopped and looked at Will, giving him the option to do as he will. 

"Are you sure you would want to sleep in the same bed as me? I sweat and kick and have night terrors and-"

"And i don't care one bit. Forgive me for interrupting, but i choose you. I choose all of you, including the sweat, and the kicks, and the night terrors and wha-"

This time Hannibal was the one interrupted, but this time, by a kiss. The men smiled at each other before Hannibal continued walking down the hallway and opening his door, allowing Will into his bedroom. Hannibal picked clothes out of his dresser for sleep and indicated Will towards his bathroom.

"While i have no reservations about changing in front of you, you might. If you would like to change in the bathroom, go right ahead."

Will seemed to think for a second. "I'll probably take you up on that offer. While i don't mind changing in front of you, that may lead to other things and i'm not quite sure if i'm ready for that yet."

Hannibal nodded and, as soon as the bathroom door was shut, set about changing into his sleepwear. He could hear the toilet flush and the sink run for several moments. 

When Will walked back into the room in a shirt and sweatpants, Hannibal took his place in the bathroom to relieve himself and brush his teeth.

He quickly returned and climbed into bed next to Will, turning off the light and just laying there, not sure what to do and what would be welcome, something he rarely feels. It was almost like Will could sense it. Will moved closer to the man and rested his head on Hannibal's shoulder, his arm resting on Hannibal's chest and his hand brushing softly through chest hair there. Hannibal wrapped his arms around the man and it wasn't long before the soft breathing of his beloved eased him into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you thought!
> 
> Also, my Tumblr is the same as my name on here. I make an annoucement post everytime i post here, so if you want to be told everytime, please message me on there and i'll tag you on the post!

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter in the books!
> 
> Dreynen: The Dreynen legacy causes any Loric near the person using the ability to not be able to access ANY of their abilities. Items can also be infused with the Legacy, so if someone with Loric abilities is touching an item infused with the Legacy, they lose the ability to access all of their Legacies. In my mind, i like to think that if someone with that Legacy is having to deal with someone else using the Dreynen on them, that their Dreynen can count-act it.
> 
> I also was thinking about writing a prequel to this later on about how Sophia found out about her test tubular creation and how she met the boys! If anyone would be interested in that, please let me know!
> 
> Any feedback would be appreciated!


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